Toothpick dispenser



Aug. 9, 1955 w. J. MEYER ET AL TOOTHPICK DISPENSER 5 Sheets-Sheet v1 Filed Sept. 17, 1953 INVENTORS WILL/HM J. MEYER 8: B/gE/VRY fi- FLO/Q Aug- 9, 1955 w. J. MEYER ET AL TOOTHPICK DISPENSER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 17, 1953 0 m 7 NE a i mu J m? f i Q 6 W d k... c J m n1 U MmWv M HM rw L P 6 0 6 hr V Aug. 9, 1955 w. J. MEYER ET AL TOOTHPICK DISPENSER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 17, 1953 IN V EN TOR.

W/L L IHM J.

MEYER 2 HENRY F2 FLOR United States Patent TOOTHPICK DISPENSER William J. Meyer, Ridgewood, and Henry A. Flor, Merrick, N. Y.

Application September 17, 1953, Serial No. 380,692

Claims. (Cl. 221-174) This invention relates to dispensing devices, and in particular to a means for feeding thin fragile objects, such as toothpicks, from a container in which they are maintained in sanitary condition.

The display of toothpicks in an open bowl or glass on a counter where each customer handles the ends of several toothpicks from which he is selecting one or two is a condition favorable to the spread of disease, but because of the fragile nature of toothpicks, difiiculty has been encountered in dispensing them from a closed container due to their tendency to bunch, get out of order, and generally become so disordered that the container became hopelessly clogged and inoperative.

It is an important object of our invention, therefore, to provide a sanitary container in which a large number of toothpicks can be stored so that frequent replenishment is not necessary; so that the toothpicks will be kept in alignment and periodically jogged to prevent jamming; so that they will be fed one at a time to the exterior of the container in a sanitary condition; so that they can be dispensed without any attention on the part of the restaurant owner, and to provide a container that can be made wholly of plastic material at minimum cost and one that will be automatic in its dispensing operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device that may be used as a table piece and one that will be particularly adapted for family use, can be inexpensively made and which not only keeps the toothpicks covered and in sanitary condition, but also dispenses them one at a time and positions them for easy withdrawal from the container.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a dispenser in which the whole package of toothpicks may be placed for release by a slide to fill the receptacle so that loading of the toothpicks from the package to the dispenser is eliminated and unsanitary handling of the toothpicks is prevented.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises certain constructions hereinafter described and then particularly pointed out in the claims, and a preferred embodiment of our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a counter type dispenser made from plastic material and showing the relation of the working parts of the device;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the dispenser shown in Figure 1, a portion being broken away as on the line 2-2 to disclose the interior construction;

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the lift employed in the dispenser to break up jams and feed the toothpicks;

Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged fragmentary views in section showing the lift in raised and lowered positions;

Figure 6 is a view in side elevation of a table type dispenser showing a toothpick in presented position;

Figure 7 is a view of the underside of the cover of the dispenser shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a view in sectional elevation of the dispenser shown in Figure 6;

2,714,973 Patented Aug. 9, 1955 Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 showing a relative movement between the parts of the dispenser preparatory to presenting a toothpick as shown in Figure 6;

Figure 10 is a view in section on the line 10-10 of Figure 9 showing the relative arrangement of the parts;

Figure 11 is a view in side elevation of a form of dispenser in which an entire package of toothpicks is placed;

Figure 12 is a view in vertical section taken on the line 12-12 of Figure 11.

This application is a continuation-inpart of application Serial No. 80,126, filed March 8, 1949, now abandoned.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and in particular to Figures 1 to 5, 10 indicates a receptacle presenting side and rear walls 11 and 12, respectively, the side walls 11 being cut out as desired but shaping feet portions 13 at "opposite sides of a shaft seat 14, in which a shaft 15 is journalled and retained by friction collars 16.

The front of the receptacle is closed by an upper wall 17 having an inwardly and obliquely directed portion 18 terminating at its lower edge in an inwardly bevelled edge 33 or lip 19. The upper edges of the side walls 11 adjacent the lower end of wall portion 18 are bridged by a slide cover 20 which, at its front edge, defines the upper edge of a lateral opening 21 or outlet through which the toothpicks 22 are dispensed to roll down into a holder 23 formed by troughed side pieces 24 suitably attached to the front wall 25' of the receptacle in such position that the upper edges of said pieces align with the bevelled upper edge 26 of the wall 25, which edge defines the lower limit of the opening 21.

The upper half of the receptacle constitutes the toothpick container, and is provided with a sloping bottom wall 28, which, while it may be molded in any form desired, is shaped to provide transverse slots 29 and 30 and a central opening 31 through which pass the front and rear "tongues 32 and 33, respectively, and tabs 34 and 35.

The tongues 32 and 33 are formed at the front and rear edges of an elevator 36 while the tabs 34 and 35 are formed in the elevator intermediate said tongues. The upper edges of the tongues and tabs are forwardly bevelled. The elevator 36 is guided for vertical sliding movement between the front wall 25 and guide strips 37 attached to or formed in the side walls 11. The elevator rests on lifters 38, shaped to provide lift arms 39 and secured in any suitable manner at spaced points on the 1 shaft 15. The latter, at its outer ends, carries handwheels 40 through the medium of which the elevator may be manually raised. The lift arms 39 are so shaped that when the elevator attains its uppermost position it will drop by gravity to its low position, as shown in Figures 1 Land 4. The shape of the arms 39 prevents rotation of the lifters 38 except in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 5.

The sloping wall 28 carries, at opposite sides of the opening 31, stop blocks 41 which are forwardly bevelled.

I The back edges of these blocks are accurately aligned with the forward edge of the rear elevator tab 34. Under normal operating conditions, the parts would appear at rest, as shown in Figure 4. In its lowered position, the elevator and lifter are so dimensioned that the upper edge of the rear tongue 33 is flush with wall 28, and the bevelled edge of the front tongue 32 forms, with the bevelled edge of the wall 28, defining slot 30, a pocket in which a toothpick is lodged. Another toothpick abuts the stop blocks 41 and the other toothpicks are held back by the lower lip edge of the wall 18. When the elevator moves up, its rear tongue 33 breaks up any jam adjacent the feed opening under the lower edge of wall 18 and straightens out any unaligned toothpicks. The rear tab 34 lifts the toothpick resting against blocks 41 thereover,

.1 and the toothpick rolls down the bevel of the blocks 41 to rest against tab 35 which slows up the rolling action of the toothpick and keeps it in a laterally straight position. The front tongue 32 has lifted a toothpick to the level of wall 25 and it rolls out through the opening 21 into the trough from which it is removed by the fingers.

Referring to the modified form of the invention shown in Figures 6 to 10, inclusive, 50 indicates the lift receptacle of a table model dispenser comprising a base 51 in a slot 52 of which is secured a toothpick supporting panel 53 or wall having a groove 54 in the upper edge thereof, a portion of which edge is cut at an angle as at 55. This obliquely disposed portion of the panel edge is notched or slotted by the continuation therein of the groove 54. The major portion of the upper edge of the panel is horizontal so that a toothpick can be supported thereon in horizontal position. The toothpicks 56 are contained in the lift receptacle which comprises end walls 58, side walls 57, the latter of which are connected at the center of the dispenser by a guide bar 59 which passes laterally through a vertical slot 60 in the panel 53, and downwardly and inwardly sloping walls 61 extending from said side walls 57 to the panel. The walls 61 constitute the bottom walls of the receptacle and feed the toothpicks by gravity to the panel so that, when the receptacle is raised and lowered in a dispensing motion as indicated by the arrows in Figure 10, a single toothpick remaining in the groove 54 is positioned above the top of the receptacle.

As the housing or receptacle is lowered, the toothpick in the groove 54 is tilted at one end and made readily accessible by the use of an elevator associated with a removable cover 62. The latter is frictionally held in the upper end of the receptacle 50 by guide strips 63 and is provided with a longitudinal opening 64 at the center thereof through which the upper edge of the panel protrudes. One end of the opening is bevelled as at 65 for oblique alignment with a groove 66 in an elevator 67 which is in the median line of the opening 64. Both grooves 54 and 66 coact when the receptacle is lowered to tilt and hold a toothpick in the tilted accessible position shown in Figure 6. In order that the toothpick in the groove 54 will not be dislodged as the elevator cam 67 is engaged by the unsupported or free end of the toothpick, use is made of spaced side guides 68 and 69, each of which have laterally oblique faces terminating at the groove 66 in the elevator. These guides constitute camming means for directing a toothpick, that may be slightly bent, into the trough formed by the coming together of the edges of the panel and the elevator as shown in Figures 6 and 8. The ends of the panel 53 may be tapered as at 70 so'that in a dropping movement of the receptacle 50 the latter is properly positioned with respect to said panel and the shaking movement that will naturally follow the loose mounting of the receptacle with respect to the panel will help to align the toothpicks for ready single dispensing.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 11 and 12 a storage unit 75 of rectangular shape is mounted on top of a dispensing unit 76 which is also of rectangular shape presenting side and end walls 77 and 78 respectively, suitably secured in a base 79. Either or both of the units 75 and 76 may be made of transparent or opaque plastic material and preferably the front face of each may carry an advertising display facing the person using the dispenser to obtain the toothpicks or matches. The storage unit consists of the side and end walls 80 and 81 and a base 82 which presents a flanged edge 83 overlying the dispensing unit and housing guides 84 in which a loading panel 85 is slidably mounted so that when an open ended package P, of articles to be dispensed, is placed in the receptacle, the panel can be removed to permit the contents of the package to drop onto a feed plate 86 extending between the side walls 77 of the dispensing unit. The feed plate provided with an elongated opening 87 is disposed at an oblique angle for gravity feed of the articles and terminates at its forward edge in spaced detent ears 88 flanking an elongated recess 89. The feed plate 86 rests near its forward edge on the upper ends of vertical guide strips 90 which are secured, as is the plate 86, in any suitable manner to the side walls 77 of the unit. The cars 88 are spaced from the forward end walls 78 to provide a guide passage 91 for the front lift panel 92 of an elevator 93, substantially U-shaped in cross section, which also presents an intermediate lift panel 94 abutting the panel 92 and'laterally aligned with said ears 88. The elevator is also shaped to provide a rear Wall 95 to which is attached a rear feed panel 96 carrying a vertical detent plate 97, both the panel 96 and the plate 97 extending through the opening 87. The upper edge of the rear wall 95 abuts the under side of the feed plate 86 to provide a limit stop for the rise of the elevator and also abuts the :guide strips 90 at opposite sides of the dispensing unit.

The upper edges of the front lift panel 92, the intermediate panel 94, the rear feed panel 96 and the ears 88 are all bevelled to provide an article forward feeding incline, the bevel of the intermediate panel forming with said front panel a pocket for holding several of the articles to be dispensed in such position that when the elevator lowers, the articles will move down and rest on the bevelled edges of the ears while the elevator continues its downward movement to such extent that the bevel of the front panel registers with the bevel of the ears and the articles roll or slide across the bevel of the front panel by gravity and through the discharge opening 98 in the front wall 78.

The upper edge of the detent plate 97 extends above the upper edge of the rear feed panel 96 to which it is secured in any suitable manner. In Figure 11 the toothpicks or matches are nearly exhausted from the dispenser, and the slide 85 is ready to be pulled out to allow the articles to drop into the dispenser. When this occurs, the slide may be hung on a hook 99 on one wall of the receptacle. The articles will fill the space above the feed plate 86 behind plate 97 and between it and a guide plate 101 which extends between the side walls 77 and at its lateral center supports a pivotally mounted throat piece 102 which is of irregular form so that an eccentric adjustment thereof will regulate'the feed of the articles forwardly. The detent plate 97 in its vertical reciprocatory action keeps the mass of toothpicks loosened up and in lateral alignment so that they will roll by gravity against the plate 101. A rising movement of the panel 96 causes feeding of the articles in front of the plate 97 which serves to hold back the mass so that heavy pressure on the throat piece is prevented. As the articles pass the throat 102 they roll against the intermediate lift panel 94 so that when the latter moves down until its upper edge registers with the feed plate 86 the difference in the thick ness of the ears 88 and said panel will allow several toothpicks to be lifted on a rising movement of the panel 94 in the notch. When the panel next lowers the toothpicks on top thereof will rest on the inclined top edge of the ears 88 and will roll over the upper edge of the panel 92 and through the discharge opening.

The front of the dispenser is provided with a drop plate 103 having a central finger opening through which the articles can be reached for removal from the chute which is formed by plate 103 and spaced chute pieces 104. The plate 103 is pivoted to the dispensing unit as The manual operation of the device is accomplished by pressure on a handle 106 fixed to a cross shaft 107, to which is secured, inside the unit, a pull lever 108 for yieldably holding the elevator in raised position by action of a spring 109 connecting an end of the lever 108 with a cross rod 110. The shaft 107 also carries a detent 111 which abuts the near guide strip '90 when the lever lowers the elevator 93 by action on a hooked portion 112 of the latter, to the extent desired. It is evident in this form of the invention that the toothpicks can be dispensed from a package and no handling of the articles is necessary as is the case where a dispenser has to be filled by hand.

It is evident that all of the parts may be made of any type of material found suitable, such as a transparent plastic that will display the toothpicks, and one that will maintain the mass of toothpicks covered and in a sanitary condition. While toothpicks are specifically referred to, it is evident that matches and other articles of like nature can be dispensed by the same means.

Our invention is not to be restricted to the precise details of construction shown since various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention or sacrificing the advantages to be derived from its use.

What we claim is:

1. A dispensing device for toothpicks or the like comprising a box-like dispenser unit having a discharge opening in the front wall thereof, a feed plate sloping downwardly toward said opening shaped to provide a laterally extending forward recess and upturned detent ears having bevelled top edges, said ears flanking said recess and being spaced from the front Wall of the unit to provide therewith a guide passage, an elevator, handle control means for vertically reciprocating said elevator, the elevator being substantailly U-shaped in cross section and presenting a front lift panel for vertical movement up and down in the guide passage and being bevelled on its upper edge to transfer articles by gravity from the upper edges of said ears to said discharge opening when the upper edge of the lift panel registers with the upper edge of said ears, an intermediate lift panel in said elevator and having an upper bevelled edge coacting with the vertical rear face of said front lift panel to form an article holding recess, the bevelled edge of the intermediate lift panel being wider than the bevelled edge of said ears whereby a lowering movement of said intermediate panel will leave some of said articles atop the bevel of said ears for discharge over the upper edge of said front panel, and means for catching the articles discharged through said discharge opening.

2. A device of the character set forth in claim 1 including a slot in said feed plate, a rear feed panel on said elevator for vertical movement in said slot, said rear feed panel presenting a forwardly inclined top edge, a guide plate extending between the side walls of the box and having its lower edge adjacent the top edge of the rear panel to provide an article passage, and an adjustable throat member on said plate for varying the size of said passage.

3. A device of the character set forth in claim 2 including a detent plate on said rear feed panel for vertical reciprocation with the elevator to agitate the mass of articles adjacent thereto.

4. A device of the character set forth in claim 1 including a supply unit on top of said dispenser unit, an obliquely disposed guide plate beneath one end of said supply unit, a supply panel between said units removable to drop the contents of the supply unit to the feed plate of the dispenser, said elevator including a rear wall, a vertical detent plate and a rear feed panel mounted on said wall and both plate and panel extending through an opening in the feed plate, the upper edge of said rear feed panel being bevelled to provide an article feeding face adjacent the lower edge of said guide plate and the upper edge of said rear wall abutting the under side of said feed plate to provide a limit stop for the rise of said elevator.

5. A device of the character set forth in claim 2 including vertical guide strips on the side walls of said disp'enser unit for guiding the vertical movements of said elevator, said handle control means including a cross shaft, a spring held pull lever on said shaft for operating said elevator and a detent arm on said shaft for engagement with one of said guide strips to limit the movement of said pull lever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 535,201 Hauptmann et al. Mar. 5, 1895 680,359 Rist Aug. 13, 1901 1,099,705 Kolb June 9, 1914 1,262,055 Johnson Apr. 8, 1918 1,293,153 Mandzuk Feb. 4, 1919 1,371,173 Kenkel Mar. 8, 1921 

